Daniel Andrews not listening to farmers on rural crime

The Andrews Labor Government still is not listening to farmers across the Murray Plains electorate and is missing another opportunity to employ dedicated frontline police officers to tackle rural crime. The Andrews Government announced the Farm Crime Co-ordination Unit this week, but despite Labor’s claim it has created 70 new positions, in reality it has…

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Part-time squad not enough to tackle rural crime

Monday 23 September 2019   Victorian farmers have long called for a dedicated rural crime squad, but today’s announcement doesn’t deliver what farmers requested. Changing job titles is not the same as adding new frontline officers and it won’t help tackle worsening rural crime rates. The Andrews Labor Government is trying to dress today’s announcement…

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Bendigo residents calling for details of GovHub deal

Bendigo residents are calling for more transparency on plans to sell council-owned land for the Bendigo GovHub with hundreds of signatures tabled in Victorian Parliament. Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Regional Victoria and Decentralisation Peter Walsh tabled a petition last week with 328 signatures calling for more detail on the deal with…

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Law-breaking activists to cop new sanctions

Tough new laws to better protect farmers and farm businesses against people inciting farm trespass have passed the Federal Parliament. The new laws, passed last week, will mean anyone sharing farmers’ private details online to incite farm trespass will risk jail time and follows the publishing of thousands of farmers’ home addresses on the Aussie…

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New jobs at Hattah at risk unless Minister intervenes

Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has called on the Andrews Labor Government to intervene to progress a new $63 million almond processing plant at Hattah. Speaking in Parliament this week, Mr Walsh asked Minister for Planning Richard Wynne to call in Brownport Almonds’ application, which is expected to create an additional 30 full time…

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Farmers still waiting for Basin Rail benefits

The Andrews Labor Government again failed to explain how they will fix and finish the botched Murray Basin Rail Project. Despite finding billions to put into level crossing cost blowouts in Melbourne, Daniel Andrews is refusing to say how Labor will fix its mess. The Premier was asked in State Parliament today to explain why…

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Farmers in drought ignored as Premier jet-sets to China

The Premier for Melbourne has been to China more times than he’s been to Victoria’s drought affected communities. Since becoming Premier, Daniel Andrews has made at least nine overseas trips but has only been to see drought-affected farmers once, at Birchip in 2015. Asked by Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh today why he continues…

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Farmers in drought ignored as Premier jet-sets to China

Tuesday 10 September 2019   The Premier for Melbourne has been to China more times than he’s been to Victoria’s drought affected communities. Since becoming Premier, Daniel Andrews has made at least nine overseas trips but has only been to see drought-affected farmers once, at Birchip in 2015. Asked by Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh today…

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Walsh sounds out Labor on delayed Echuca bus review

Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has pressured the Andrews Labor Government to come up with a timeline for a review of bus stops and routes in Echuca after a more than 12 month delay. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Walsh asked Public Transport Minister Melissa Horne to advise when the review would be done, after…

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Farmers need Minister to act after visit

Monday 2 September 2019   Drought-affected farmers in the Millewa must get genuine action from the Andrews Labor Government after the Minister’s visit today. The Agriculture Minister’s visit was long overdue given famers in the Millewa are staring down the barrel of a second failed season. Like farmers in other drought-affected parts of Victoria, the…

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Daniel Andrews M.I.A. in drought-affected Victoria

Daniel Andrews is failing our farmers. Parts of Victoria have been in severe drought for two seasons now but Daniel Andrews hasn’t visited any of the affected communities. Today in State Parliament, the Premier refused to visit the Millewa and meet with farmers or provide shire and water rates relief. Farmers in the Millewa feel…

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Statement on closure of Nestle factory at Tongala

Devastating news for Tongala today with Nestlé announcing it will close its local factory over the next 18 months, costing 106 local jobs. It will be an extremely difficult time for workers and their families as they face the reality of the next 18 months. In a small, close-knit community like Tongala, the loss of…

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Labor must park its plan to lock up more public land

Bush users have converged on State Parliament today against a plan to lock up more of Victoria’s public land. More than 77,000 hectares of public land will be locked up if the Andrews Labor Government adopts recommendations from the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council’s Central West Investigation final report. Leader of The Nationals and Member for…

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